Providing a high quality instructional program where the needs of students are met and preparing them for success in the world beyond the high school are paramount in developing a school's master schedule. Throughout the past, there have periodic movements to extend the school day and year in order to better meet these goals. What research has found is that there is little to no relationship between pre-allotted time and student achievement; there is some relationship between engaged time and achievement; and there is a larger relationship between academic learning time and achievement. The research also found that more time than imagined is spent on noninstructional tasks such as making announcements, taking attendance, managing the classroom, and/or disciplining students, etc. Time is an essential component of the learning process, however, the critical element is how much quality time is spent on appropriate work. Regardless of how the master schedule is set up, students need to be actively engaged in instructionally meaningful assignments. (Contains 22 online resources.)